Change coolant?

[klee168168]

Recently bought a new to me 13 v8v. Not sure if previous owner changed coolant but it’s brown in color. I read generally you change it every 5 years or so. Does brown mean it hasn’t been changed in awhile?

Does AM take any coolant?

[Manx V8V]

It is brown as standard, and the required type is OAT, beware mixing coolants can cause jelly to form in the system.

[klee168168]

So there isn’t a way to tell if it needs to be changed?

[klee168168]

So there isn’t a way to tell if it needs to be changed? What’s OAT? So something like this will work? Mopar 10 Year/150,000 Mile Coolant 50/50 Premixed https://www.amazon.com/dp/B017DP43ZC/ref=cm_sw_r_c...

[Manx V8V]

This gives a bit of info on OAT coolants

http://www.coolantexperts.com/coolant_overview/oat...

Regarding exact brands/specs, you would need to do a bit of research, but I think all OAT coolants of the same colour are pretty much compatible.

It may be possible to get an Indy to do a sample test to check how 'fresh' your actual coolant is, but I'm not sure.

[sparks_190e]

Would be a good idea on any car to change the coolant every couple of years.

[8Tech]

Modern longlife coolants will comfortably last 5 years or more. You can check the strength using a cheap floating ball tester for a couple of pounds or more precisely with a refractometer but for most cases, this is a bit overkill.

Your coolant should be red and not brown so in time it is collecting a bit of dirt with it.

[Manx V8V]

Mine is a dark orange which looks almost brown when it's in the black tank, but having been shown a bottle of the correct stuff by a mechanic it was the same colour as mine.

[klee168168]

Manx V8V said:

Mine is a dark orange which looks almost brown when it's in the black tank, but having been shown a bottle of the correct stuff by a mechanic it was the same colour as mine.

I am searching on Amazon and doesn’t have anything specific to organic acidic coolant. I’m assuming it’s all the same for AM.

[AstonV]

Brown is no good. It should be bright orange. The color of orange soda. Definitely change it.

https://www.redpants.lol/shop/motul-coolant

[Buster73]

sparks_190e said:

Would be a good idea on any car to change the coolant every couple of years.

Can you back that statement up with facts please ?

I’ve been driving numerous vehicles over the last 43 years and never changed the coolant in any of them yet .

[F1NDW]

Buster73 said:

Can you back that statement up with facts please ?


"I’ve been driving numerous vehicles over the last 43 years and never changed the coolant in any of them yet ".

Oh dear dear dear Can you back that statement up with facts please. Ignorance is bliss eh Buster. Oh sorry you obviously wouldn't know. You obviously moved them on before the damage became obvious.

Edited by F1NDW on Wednesday 18th September 08:38

[sparks_190e]

Buster73 said:

sparks_190e said:

Would be a good idea on any car to change the coolant every couple of years.

Can you back that statement up with facts please ?

I’ve been driving numerous vehicles over the last 43 years and never changed the coolant in any of them yet .

Coolant can over time (a long time) cause corrosion, especially if the car spends much of its life sat around. It's a cheap process to change it, so why not incorporate it into a service every couple of years?

[Buster73]

F1NDW said:

Oh dear dear dear Can you back that statement up with facts please. Ignorance is bliss eh Buster. Oh sorry you obviously wouldn't know. You obviously moved them on before the damage became obvious.

Edited by F1NDW on Wednesday 18th September 08:38

Can you then enlighten me on how long it would take for the “damage” became obvious ?

[paulrog1]

Corrosion is happening from the day the engine is manufactured, replacing the coolant is in the official Aston Martin service schedule every 5 years..

Air and water causes metal to corrode, the coolant slows the process down, if not maintained small parts of corroded metal will start to clog up the radiator, pump etc which will make it harder to cool the engine until one of these parts fail.

I replace mine every few years, very cheap and easy to do, under £50 even using premium coolant using 50/50 mixture, but don't use tap water but distilled water.

[8Tech]

Buster73 said:

F1NDW said:

Oh dear dear dear Can you back that statement up with facts please. Ignorance is bliss eh Buster. Oh sorry you obviously wouldn't know. You obviously moved them on before the damage became obvious.

Edited by F1NDW on Wednesday 18th September 08:38

Can you then enlighten me on how long it would take for the “damage” became obvious ?

First sign is when the cooling system freezes causing headgasket failures, overheating, split hoses, radiators and broken water pumps. If it doesn't really get cold enough for that, but left outside all winter, it will without some antifreeze, then engine internal components will corrode, both steel and aluminium.

This is why a few years ago, they changed the common name of antifreeze to coolant, so that owners in markets never subject to low temperatures, still used the coolant with its detergents and anti-corrosion inhibitors.

[voodoocat]

For those in the US, I was able to locate orange Havoline Coolant at NAPA auto parts. I think many other OAT should work but my manual refers to Havoline.